BOOK WEEK: An Interesting Study Of The Fallen Artist
Are books being engulfed and destroyed by the unstoppable wave of visual media? Undeniably, the ubiquity of film does make for an intimidating opponent. But lovers of literature of course remain, and as well as exploring the current state of this medium, Book Week uses the nature of its intellectual yet rather antiquated existence in order to create a portrait of an embittered author, kept alive but somehow tethered down by his intense attachment to writing and books. And despite some occasional frustration with this lead character, as well as the fact that this film breaks little new ground, I found that director and writer Heath Davis succeeds with this creation.
Taking place over the titular book week as marked out by on-screen graphics coupled with quotes from famous authors, the movie follows Nick Cutler along one of the more climactic periods of his life. Though on paper he’s a published author with a steady job as an English teacher, his life is in shambles, and he is hated by virtually everybody he comes across. As he navigates the week, as well as various affairs and family dramas, he is forced to analyze his achievements and friendships, and in turn the numerous f*ck-ups he has made along the way.
Characterization And Performances
The centerpiece of this film is Alan Dukes as Nick, who has the difficult task of maintaining a balance between insufferable jerk, and figure we remain interested in and even occasionally root for. Undoubtedly he achieves this stasis, and outshines many of the other great performances in Book Week. The character’s obvious intelligence is made clear by his quick line delivery and subtle responses to other characters, but he never plays Nick as a cool character one step ahead; Dukes seems to remain aware of the ambiguity in his role.
The other standout performance for me in this movie was Rose Riley as Melanie, an incredibly ambitious student who aggravates Nick and yet isn’t entirely unlike him. Though her character often appears to chastise Nick and remind us of his faults, Riley’s youthful enthusiasm and passion for literature kept me sympathetic, and curious of the direction her arc would travel in.
An Ironic Aesthetic
The film opens with a twee sequence featuring books and badges which, although undeniably visually appealing, immediately raised red flags in my head as to the potential ‘quirkiness’ of the content. Resembling the opening credits of Napoleon Dynamite, I found myself concerned that a movie using a similar aesthetic well over a decade later might feel a little stale. So in a way, the embittered character of Nick Cutler came as a breath of fresh air – life is not like this, even when surrounded by an apparatus of imagination and joy. This pastel, childlike look also plays well for comedy, the visual metaphor of a tired teacher smoking whilst wearing an over the top Book Week costume serving as the aptest symbol for this entire movie.
In the era of #MeToo and a general questioning of institutional power from gender and race, it feels like an odd, perhaps even out of touch choice to focus on a character who can be classified as misogynistic, solipsistic, and able to get away with far more than he really should. The way the film frames him helps this somewhat; rarely does a scene go by in which another, more reasonable character doesn’t insult him. But when you’ve seen Nick cheat on his partner, actively discourage students from progressing artistically, and even refuse to medically assist his unassuming, down to earth brother-in-law, it does get hard to root for the guy. As previously stated, Dukes’ performance does help towards lending some complexity, but I have to wonder whether Davis’ decision to make a film like this in the current climate was wise.
Conclusion: Book Week
As another indie small-scale Australian romp, Book Week doesn’t quite reach the lofty heights of earlier offerings this year like Ali’s Wedding, but it provides an intriguing look at a man in peril and the place of literature in a contemporary context. The core message being: cut the pretentious bullshit, write because you need to, and don’t lose sight of your life because of it.
What do you think? Did you enjoy this melancholy Australian comedy, or was Nick Cutler too infuriating for your taste? Let me know in the comments!
Book Week was released on August 15, 2018 in Australia.
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